diff --git a/zuulclient/api/__init__.py b/zuulclient/api/__init__.py
index 66833d5..d2f0f93 100644
--- a/zuulclient/api/__init__.py
+++ b/zuulclient/api/__init__.py
@@ -90,16 +90,28 @@ class ZuulRESTClient(object):
     def _check_request_status(self, req):
         try:
             req.raise_for_status()
+            msg = None
         except Exception as e:
             if req.status_code == 401:
-                raise ZuulRESTException(
-                    'Unauthorized - your token might be invalid or expired.')
+                msg = \
+                    'Unauthorized - your token might be invalid or expired.'
             elif req.status_code == 403:
-                raise ZuulRESTException(
-                    'Insufficient privileges to perform the action.')
+                msg = \
+                    'Insufficient privileges to perform the action.'
             else:
-                raise ZuulRESTException(
-                    'Unknown error code %s: "%s"' % (req.status_code, e))
+                msg = \
+                    'Unknown error code %s: "%s"' % (req.status_code, e)
+
+            try:
+                doc = req.json()
+                msg = '%s: %s' % (doc['error'], doc['description'])
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+        # This is outside the above handler in order to suppress the
+        # original exception (this one will still have an appropriate
+        # traceback; we don't need both).
+        if msg:
+            raise ZuulRESTException(msg)
 
     def _check_scope(self, tenant):
         scope = self.info.get("tenant", None)